Pipe cleaner



Aug. 15, 1939- I 2,169,940

PIPE CLEANER Filed Sept. 29, 1938 Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to pipe cleaning devices for removing corrosions or other articles on the exterior of a pipe.

An object of this invention is to provide a pipe cleaning device which is adapted to engage about the exterior of the pipe and which may be pulled therealong so as to clean the exterior surface of a pipe in substantially one movement of the cleaner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cleaner of this type which may be clamped onto the exterior of the pipe so as to provide the necessary pressure to clean the undesired material a from the exterior of the pipe as the cleaner is pulledtherealong.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cleaner of this kind which may be detachably mounted on a pipe between the ends thereof where the pipe has connections at each end in order that the entire length of the pipe may be cleaned.

A still further object of this invention is to provide in a cleaner of this type a novel blade which may be disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to the surface of the pipe so as to effect the necessary cleaning of the pipe surface.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel clamping means for clamping the cleaning blade on the outside of the pipe so that the cleaning blade may be provided with the necessary pressure to effect cleaning of the pipe and at the same time may be readily applied or removed from the pipe.

Afurther object ofthis invention is to provide a novel blade adjusting means for-adjusting the angle of the blade relative to the length of the pipe so that the keen edge of the blade may be disposed on the desired angle to effect the necessary cleaning of the pipe and so that the blade may be adjusted relative to the pipe as the blade wears down.

To the foregoing objects and to others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as .will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the. accompanying drawing wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that modifications variations and changes may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a detail side elevation of a cleaner constructed according to this invention which is mounted on a pipe,

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on it the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, the character P designates a pipe and the numeral l0 designates generally a cleaning blade which is adapted to engage the exterior surface of the pipe P for cleaning thereof. The blade I0 is provided at its forward end with a keen edge portion l I, and

at its rear end with an arcuate shank l2 which 1 The that the inner surface of the holder M will be substantially flush with the inner surface of the blade l0 as shown in Figure 3.

The blade I0 is substantially semi-circular in configuration, although if desired, this blade 10 may be of greater or less length. The holder M at diametrically opposite sides thereof is provided with a pair of tubular slide members l5 which are disposed in parallel relation and which are adapted to slidably engage a pair of bolts I6.

A lower arcuate cleaning blade I! is secured to a transversely extending bar 18 as by welding or the like, and the opposite ends of the bar or rod l8 are provided with a pair of relatively short sleeves l9 loosely engaging about the bolts IS. The bolts I 6 are provided at their lower ends with a head 20 contacting with the lower ends of the sleeves l9, and these bolts l6 provide a means for clamping the blades l0 and I! about the exterior of the pipe P.

An upper clamping bar 2| extends transversely of the pipe P and is provided at the opposite ends thereof with sleeves 22 loosely engaging the upper ends of the bolts l6. Adjusting nuts 23 are threaded onto the threaded upper portions 24 of the bolts i6 and provide a means for adjusting the tension of the blades I0 and I! on the pipe P. An eccentric blade tensio-ning member 25 is rotatably mounted on the tensioning bar 2| in substantially the longitudinal center thereof, and a handle or lever 26 is carried by the eccentric 25 which provides a means for operating the eccentric 25 so as to either clamp the blades l0 and I! about the pipe P, or to release the blades from the pipe P.

The holder I4 isprovided with a pair of rings or eyes 21 at a point rearwardly of the blade l0, and a pair of chains or flexible members 28 are adapted to be connected at their rear ends to the rings or eyes 21, and at their forward or opposite ends "to a pulling means so that the device may be pulled along the surface of the pipe P. The shank I2 is secured to the holder M by means of a plurality of bolts 29 so that the blade l0 may be detachably secured to the holder M. In this manner when the blade I0 wears down, the blade may be replaced by a new blade.

In order to provide a means whereby the angle of the blade I0 relative to the length of the pipe P may be adjusted to provide the necessary clearance for the cutting or cleaning operation, I have provided an elongated bar 30 which is secured as by welding or the like at its forward end to the rear portion of the holder M.

The rear end of the angle adjusting rod 30 is provided with an eye 3! which loosely engages about a threaded bolt 32. A pair of adjusting nuts 33 and 34 are disposed on opposite sides of the eye 3| and provide a means whereby the angular relation of the rod 30 relative to the axis of the pipe P may be varied at will to provide the necessary clearance for the blade It). The bolt or threaded adjusting member 32 is provided at its lower end with a V-shaped slide member 35 which is secured as by welding or the like at its upper or convergent end to the lower end of the bolt 32. The slide 35 is adapted to engage the periphery of the pipe P at a point rearwardly of the holder l4 and is V-shaped in order that the slide 35 may be used with different sizes or diameters of pipes which are to be cleaned.

In the use and operation of this cleaner, the two nuts 23 are initially removed from the bolts l6 so that the two blades ID and I! may be positioned on the pipe P, particularly where the pipe P has connections at the opposite ends thereof which will prevent the cleaner from being applied at one end of the pipe. When the blades l0 and H are engaged with the pipe P, the two bolts h: are inserted through the sleeves l9, l5 and 22. The eccentric clamping member 25 is at this time disposed in released position and then the nuts 23 are threaded onto the bolts l6 so as to provide the necessary tension on the blades l0 and I! when the tensioning member 25 is rotated or swung to an operative position similar to that shown in Figure 3.

The angle of the blade I0 and the holder 14 is adjusted by adjusting the two nuts 33 and 34 along the'adjusting bolt 32, and when this has been done the cleaner may be pulled through the medium of the flexible members 28 along the length of the pipe P. The blades l0 and I! in one movement of the pipe P will clean a considerable portion of the pipe surface, but will leave a small portion of the pipe uncleaned so it is necessary to slidably turn the cleaner and pull the device over the pipe a second time. This, however, may be eliminated by enlarging the cleaner I! so that this cleaner will be substantially a semi-round or semi-circular cleaner. The device is adapted to clean pipes of the same diameter but where pipes of different diameters are to be cleaned, it is only necessary that the blades l0 and I I be exchanged for blades of the necessary size to engage the different diameters of pipes.

A cleaner constructed according to this invention will not readily get out of order and will thoroughly clean the exterior surface of the pipe in substantially a single pulling operation. The pulling of the cleaner may be effected by a manual operation or, if desired, may be effected by a power device, depending on the size of the pipe and the amount and character of corrosion or undesired material which is on the exterior of the pipe.

What I claim is:

1. A pipe cleaner comprising a pair of arcuate section blades, a pair of sleeves carried by each blade, a clamping bar, .a pair of sleeves carried by said bar aligning with said first sleeves, a pair of bolts engaging through said sleeves, a spacing cam rotatably carried by said bar engageable with one of said blades to tension said blades about the pipe, and an operating handle fixed to said cam.

2. A pipe cleaner comprising a pair of arcuate section blades, a pair of sleeves carried by each blade, a clamping bar, a pair of sleeves carried by said bar aligning with said first sleeves, a pair of bolts engaging through said sleeves, a spacing cam rotatably carried by said bar engageable with one of said blades to tension said blades about the pipe, an operating handle fixed to said cam, and means fixed to one of said blades for adjusting the angle thereof relative to the pipe.

3. A pipe cleaner comprising a pair of arcuate section cleaning blade members, means detachably securing said members about a pipe, comprising means tensioning said blades about the pipe, an elongated rod fixed relative to one of saidmembers, and means carried by said rod adjustably movable with respect to same and engageable with the periphery of the pipe to thereby adjust the angular relation of said one blade relative to the pipe.

4. A pipe cleaner comprising an arcuate holder, an arcuate section blade, means securing said blade to said holder, a pair of parallel sleeves fixed to said holder, a second arcuate section blade, a bar fixed to said second blade, a pair of sleeves carried by said bar disposed in alignment with said first sleeves, a second bar, a pair of sleeves carried by said second bar disposed in alignment with said first and second sleeves, a pair of bolts loosely engaging through said sleeves, an adjusting nut threaded onto each bolt, and adjustable spacing means engaging said second bar and engageable with said holder to tension said blades on the pipe.

5. A pipe cleaner comprising an arcuate holder, an arcuate section blade, means securing said blade to said holder, a pair of parallel sleeves fixed to said holder, a second arcuate section blade, a bar fixed to said second blade, a pair of sleeves carried by said bar disposed in alignment with said first sleeves, a second bar, a pair of sleeves carried by said second bar disposed in alignment with said first and second sleeves,'a pair of bolts loosely engaging through said sleeves, an adjusting nut threaded onto each bolt, means engaging said second barand engageable with said holder to tension said blades on the pipe, a rod fixed at one end tosaid holder, and means carried by the opposite end of said rod and adjustably movable with respect to same and engageable with the periphery of the pipe to adjust the angular relation of the blades relative to the pipe.

6. A pipe cleaner comprising an arcuate holder, an arcuate section blade, means securing said blade to said holder, a pair of parallel sleeves fixed to said holder, a second arcuate section blade, a'bar fixed to said second blade, a pair of sleeves carried by said bar disposed in alignment with said first sleeves, a second bar, a pair of bolts loosely engaging through said sleeves, an adjusting nut threaded onto each bolt, means engaging said second bar and engageable with said holder to tension said blades on the pipe, an elongated rod fixed at one end to said holder, and means carried by said rod .adjustably movable with respect to same and engageable with the periphery of the pipe to adjust the angular relation of the blades relative to the pipe.

7. A pipe cleaner comprising an arcuate holder, an arcuate section blade, means securing said blade to said holder, a pair of parallel sleeves fixed to said holder, a second arcuate section blade, a bar fixed to said second blade, a pair of sleeves carried by said bar disposed in alignment with said first sleeves, a second bar, a pair of bolts loosely engaging through said sleeves, an adjusting nut threaded onto each bolt, means engaging said second bar and engageable with said holder to tension said blades on the pipe, an elongated rod fixed at one end to said holder, a V-shaped slide member, and means carried by said rod and said slide member and adjustably movable with respect to said rod for adjusting the angular relation of the blades relative to the pipe.

GEORGE A. BONGE. 

